Charlotte Phillips and the Unlikely Friendship (Chapter 1)
by Sachafran
Summary: Our story is set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1985. Ravenclaw Charlotte Phillips is heading back to Hogwarts for her seventh and final year. She is Head Girl, but that doesn't make people like her. She would have never expected to make friends with the Slytherin troublemaker, Ros Mane Delacroix. But sometimes life surprises you.


Chapter 1- Pen, Paper, and Pixies

As she stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express at the rolling hills, at the abundance of trees, and at the beautiful, cloudless sky, she knew this year was going to be better than others. Charlotte Phillips was going back to Hogwarts for her last time. Ever since she had gotten her "Head Girl" badge, she just had a feeling this year would be outstanding.

Charlotte had always been a bit of a shy half blood, and had never had any friends other than her black cat, Natalia. It had been a lonely six years, only talking to teachers and saying hasty "Sorry!"s to other students when she knocked them down in her clumsiness. She was a talented young witch, but she didn't have too much confidence.

"Anything off the cart, dear?" asked the trolley lady.

"Could I have a few Chocolate Frogs?" asked Charlotte in her usual polite manner. She handed the dimpled woman a few silver sickles then sat back down, watching her move on to the next compartment. She searched through her trunk for her favorite muggle book, "Gone With the Wind", a beautifully written American novel about the Civil War. (Charlotte had always wondered why they called it that. There was really nothing civil about it!)

She kept looking until finally realising that she had forgotten it.

"Argh!" she exclaimed. "Why am I such a bloody idiot?!" And although nobody else was in the compartment but her cat, Charlotte excused herself.

So, with nothing else to do, she ate her Chocolate Frogs. Even though she was a legal adult, she was always excited to see what her Chocolate Frog cards would be: this time they were Agrippa, two Dumbledores, and a Salazar Slytherin. A disappointing batch if you were looking for cards, yes, but the Frogs tasted delicious, as usual.

A while later, Charlotte changed into her robes, complete with her Ravenclaw tie. She put a matching blue and bronze collar on her cat. Natalia meowed, and it must have meant something like, "Yes, this new collar is great, but can you pet me...please?" Charlotte obeyed Natalia's wishes happily, and then sat back down.

The sun had set not long ago as the scarlet train stopped, and the crowd of students started walking in pairs or trios, and even large groups, over to the extraordinarily magical castle that Charlotte considered a second home: Hogwarts.

"Firs' years this way!" bellowed Hagrid, a huge half giant, as he directed the ten and eleven year olds onto the boats.

"Hello, Hagrid! How are the skrewts doing?" Charlotte asked cheerfully.

"They're doin' excellent, glad yeh asked. How was yer summer?"

"It was great. I'll just be on my way- I'm so excited for sorting! I really can't believe how small these first years look...I mean, honestly!" Charlotte said. Hagrid laughed and placed a humongous hand on her shoulder, making her thin, short body almost topple over. "Well, bye Hagrid!"

Charlotte freed herself and waved goodbye, but Hagrid was already busy breaking up a fight between two first years. She giggled, walked all the way to the castle and took a seat at the Ravenclaw table, ready for the sorting ceremony to begin.

She was starving, but when the Sorting Hat began to sing, all she really thought about were the new Ravenclaws, and she got excited remembering that she was to show them up to their dormitory, being Head Girl.

After the Sorting Hat sang its usual cheery tune, the sorting ceremony began. Professor McGonagall stepped up with a large scroll and started reading the names.

"Acklin, Joseph!" shouted Professor McGonagall. A handsome boy with dark skin and striking gray eyes scurried nervously over to the stool where the Sorting Hat sat. He looked out over the huge hall awaiting the Sorting Hat's decision and closed his eyes so as not to see the crowd.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" yelled the Hat, and Joseph happily walked to the Hufflepuff table.

"Baker, Sarah!" About a head taller than Joseph, Sarah walked confidently up to the stool, the opposite of Joseph with her pale skin, dark brown eyes, platinum blonde hair, and a very jaunty attitude. For a new student, she seemed quite full of herself.

It didn't take long for the Sorting Hat to decide where Sarah belonged- almost the moment it touched her head, it yelled "GRYFFINDOR!"

Sarah smiled and speed-walked to the Gryffindor table. More names were called, more houses were yelled, when finally it was time for the feast to begin.

Charlotte ate as much as she could; she ate until her face turned green. As she nauseously stood up to lead the new Ravenclaws to their dormitory, she was purposely tripped by a 6th year and she, of course, threatened detention. She had always been picked on like this, and sometimes worried that the teachers only made her prefect and Head Girl to protect her...but she let those thoughts fall away.

The next morning, Charlotte awoke to her cat licking her face— a natural (and wet) alarm clock.

"Okay, okay! I'll get up." Charlotte whispered. She stood up and stretched happily. Her roommates were all still asleep, but Charlotte wouldn't risk being late to her first class of the year. She opened her trunk and pulled out her black cardigan, her white dress shirt, her black, pleaded skirt, her blue and bronze Ravenclaw tie, and her black knee-high socks. She got dressed, then put on her little black fedora. She liked to use contrast in what she wore, and all the black contrasted great with her orange bob and pale, freckled skin. After putting on her black Converse, she walked to class.

Charlotte wasn't a stranger to falling over. She had as many bruises as she did freckles on her face, and that was saying something. And she was about to get more. As she was ambling to Charms, she fell flat on her face on the cold, cobblestone floor. People laughed, of course, but it didn't make the situation better. Charlotte lay there, struggling to get up, for a couple minutes. She finally stood up and, as she noticed that she was blushing madly, covered her face. She hated attention from anyone but the teachers.

She walked a few feet, then realised she had dropped her fedora.

"Oh God, I'm going to be late!" she thought, going back to pick it up. She placed it atop her head and kept walking, faster this time. Charlotte rolled into class a few minutes early, or at least early enough to chat a little with Flitwick. She was relieved and let out a little sigh.

"Hello, Charlotte! Good to see you!" Flitwick squeaked. Charlotte happily greeted him, and he congratulated her on getting Head Girl. She blushed again.

"I'm not surprised at all, of course!" said Flitwick. "You really are brilliant, Charlotte, brilliant indeed."

Charlotte smiled and proceeded to her seat. Class began shortly after. She listened to all Flitwick had to say and was really interested, unlike several other students who were sleeping with their eyes open. Charlotte supposed they were trying to look like they were asleep. If they were, that was some bad acting if she had ever seen it. She took pages upon pages of notes, but stopped when she noticed Ros Mane Delacroix walking in, 10 minutes late.

Ros Mane was a Slytherin, which didn't mean she wasn't a decent person. What meant she wasn't a decent person was the joy she found in playing pranks. Charlotte had never really liked Ros Mane, which did mean that she was horrified when Ros Mane sat in the empty seat next to her, looking smug.

"Hi. Could I sit here?" Ros Mane said after apologizing to Flitwick for being late. ("I'm so sorry, sir, it won't happen again, really!") Charlotte nodded, a bit reluctantly. She was surprised; Ros Mane was smiling normally now, nicely, even. Maybe Charlotte could try being her friend...no, no, she couldn't. She simply could not.

For the entire class, Charlotte couldn't tell if Ros Mane was paying attention or not. She looked excited about something, something other than the charms they were learning, but occasionally she would take a few notes. At the end of class, Charlotte had ten pages of notes while Ros Mane had only one. Charlotte was fast to get up out of her seat and move to her next class, where she hoped Ros Mane would be earlier...and not so eager to sit next to Charlotte.

There was, however, a detour. What seemed like a hundred pixies were flying around in the corridor, and one flew into Charlotte's face as she walked swiftly out of class. This hurt her dignity even more than the numerous falls per day. She jumped up angrily.

"Argh!" she shouted, trying to swat it away. This had to have been why Ros Mane was late, why she was so excited. Charlotte despised Ros Mane at that moment. She never wanted to see her again.


End file.
